king his head), "Won't do."

_Bob_. "Why?"

_Jack_. "'Cause there are no palm-trees in Lapland."

_Bob_. "Dear me, that's true. How confused my head is! I'll tell you
what it is, Jack, I can't think. _That's it_--that's the cause of the
mystery that seems to beset me, I can't tell how; and then I've been
ill--that's it too."

_Jack_. "How can there be two causes for one effect, Bob? You're
talking stuff, man. If I couldn't talk better sense than that, I'd not
talk at all."

_Bob_. "Then why don't you hold your tongue? I tell you what it is,
Jack, we're bewitched. You said I was mad some time ago. You were
right--so I am; so are you. There are too many mysteries here for any
two sane men." (Here Jack murmured we weren't men, but boys.) "There's
the running away and not being caught--the ship ready to sail the moment
we arrive; there's your joining me after all your good advice; there's
that horrible fight, and the lions, and Edwards, and the sinking of our
ship, and the--the--in short, I feel that I'm mad still. I'm not
recovered yet. Here, Jack, take care of me!"

Instead of replying to this, Jack busied himself in fitting a piece of
wood he had picked up to his wooden leg, and lashing it firmly to the
old stump. When he had accomplished his task, he turned gravely to me
and said--

"Bob, your faculties are wandering pretty wildly to-day, but you've not
yet hit upon the cause of all our misfortunes. The true cause is that
_you have disobeyed your father, and I my mother_."

I hung my head. I had now no longer difficulty in collecting my
thoughts--they circled round that point until I thought that remorse
would have killed me. Then suddenly I turned with a look of gladness to
my friend.

"But you forget _the letter_! We are forgiven!"

"True," cried Jack, with a cheerful expression; "we can face our fate
with that assurance. Come, let us strike into the country and discover
where we are. I'll manage to hop along pretty well with my wooden leg.
We'll get home as soon as we can, by land if not by water, and then
we'll remain at home--won't we, Bob?"

"Remain at home!" I cried; "ay, that will we. I've had more than
enough of foreign experiences already. Oh! Jack, Jack, it's little I
care for the sufferings I have endured--but your leg, Jack! Willingly,
most willingly, my dear friend, would I part with my own, if by so doing
I could replace yours."

Jack took my hand and squeezed